Driven Far Off

The latest on the indie, alternative, and rock music scene including news, music, contest, interviews, and more. Best described as your favorite place to find new bands.

Sherwood Interview

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sherwood

Here’s an exclusive Driven Far Off interview with Nate from Sherwood. He talks about the new record and gives some new details about it. Sorry about the questions being a little random in order.


1) First of all whatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s your name, and what do you do in Sherwood?

Nate, I sing and play the bass.

2) Does the new record have a release date and/or a title and track listing yet?

The record is called “A Different Light” and it comes out mid march. The track listing is yet to be determined.

3) What was the hardest and what was the best part of making this new record?

The hardest part was realizing that things are rapidly changing. We are no longer the young band that stares out the window of the van with hopes and dreams. People now have real expectations for us to do well and it’s a tad more business. The best part was and is being able to make music as a job.

4) What is your favorite song off the record, and why?

um…I don’t have one.

5) Whatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s your favorite Sherwood song from any record or EP?

I don’t know, I have sung them so many times that I don’t think about it like that anymore.

6) Who would you love to have do a guest appearance on your next record?

Ben Gibbard

7) what has been the one monumental goal that you’ve (and Sherwood) been working towards since the beginning of the band?

I think we always wanted to release a record and have people sing along to it far from home. Once we achieved these goals we decided it was probably time to make new ones, those have not been decided upon yet. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a weird feeling when you wake up as a band one day and realize you sort of made it and now everything needs a new goal or you just decide to part ways.

8 ) What kind of stuff do you guys do on the side when you get breaks from touring and recording?

You know that’s a good question. We are on tour so much that we try and go home to see our families. Our normal friendships have changed a lot since most of the people we know are getting married and having kids etc. everyone is sort of getting older while Sherwood is just a great place to avoid responsibility. When we are home we try to relax and make up for lost time.

9) Who would you love to tour with, and why?

The Smashing Pumpkins. Billy Corgan inspired me as a kid to start a band. I still love that band and it would be great to see them from the inside out.

10) Whatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s your stance on a growing number of kids downloading yours or others bands music for free?

Well I am pretty poor so the selfish side of me thinks I should be paid. The moral side of me is confused because sometimes I think itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s funny that after screwing artists for years the music biz finally gets theirs. So in a way I feel that if you really love the music and listen to it often then support the band somehow. Obviously people don’t work for free and Sherwood is how I eat so I can only do it for so long before I need to make a living.

12) What do you think of product placement in songs? And would you guys ever accept money for putting a product in a song?

You know, that’s a crazy idea that I have never thought about. Goes to show how bad the music business is right now. I have no idea what we would do.

13) Do you guys play any video games? If so which ones?

I like video games that involve three to four people yelling and having fun. I like community video games I guess.

Thanks so much to Nate for doing the interview, and I personally can’t wait for the new record to come out.

Dave Melillo Interview

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Dave Melillo

I recently had the chance to conduct an email interview withԚ Florida’s own DaveԚ Melillo.Ԛ  It wasԚ really exciting for meԚ because he is easily my favorite artist to come out of my hometown.Ԛ  His current EP Talk Is Cheap is out now on Drive Thru Records.Ԛ 

What was it like touring with such huge bands at a young age and how has it effected you? I remember seeing you open up for Something Corporate and The Format at UCF a couple of years ago and you must have been only 15 or 16.

What’s great about my situation is that I get to perform with bands that I truly love and respect. Because I’m still pretty young, Im very in touch with the music scene that I feel I am a part of now, so everyday I get to meet musicians that changed my life in some way. For example, that show with Something Corporate was like a dream come true, because they have been one of my favorite bands since the Audioboxer EP, and The Format being there was a HUGE plus. When it comes down to it I’m still just a fan who got really lucky, so I try to enjoy every moment of it.

Describe what it was like being exposed to the music industry and being signed while you were so young. Was there ever a time when you wished you waited?

This is a tough questions, because as much as I’m thankful for the opportunity I was given, I also have some resentment because it changed the way that I think about music. When you see the inner workings of the industry you realize how calculated and manufactured a lot of music is today, and I took it very hard because music has always been a very sacred and pure thing to me. Being in the music business definitely forces you to become a different person, because you have to grow a thicker skin and learn to deal with issues that people usually don’t ever have to deal with. It just forced me to grow up very fast and realize that everyone in the world is ultimately looking out for themselves.

The Talk Is Cheap EP came out in June of this year. Are you happy with how it turned out? Even though you had it available for free, it’s sold a ton of copies.

I’m very happy with how that album came out because it captured my life very accurately at a certain time. I was also happy with the reaction, because it seemed like people were able to relate to the songs and apply them to their own lives. Right before the EP came out I did an interview with AP.net, and I said that I would only be happy with the EP if it was able to take us to the next level, and I believe that by the time I have the LP released “Talk Is Cheap” will have served its purpose 10 times over.

When can fans expect a full length? What will it be like in comparison to the EP?

What I’m trying to do with the full length is make it similar to the EP, and at the same time add some songs that will show a progression in my song-writing. I think that its very important that each release builds on itself and gets across a different message rather than writing the same thing over and over again. Not only does it keep people interested but it also allows me to perform as passionately as I want to because I really care about the songs. The LP will have a mix of acoustic and full band tracks. There will be some songs that have already been released, and some that I am writing right now. What I hope to have at the end of the whole process is a cohesive album that tells a story about my life after high school and the challenges that I’m facing transitioning into the “real world”.

What is your favorite song you’ve written so far and why?

There is a song on the new album called “The Same Sad Song” and its very important to me because it sums up the way that I feel about life right now. It also is the first song that I ever wrote with a certain sound in mind. Usually what I do is let the song go where ever it wants to go, but with this song I lead it in a certain direction and spent alot of time on it, so I feel very close to it.

What are your touring plans for the next year? Is there any chance of a headlining tour?

We’ll be touring the UK at the beginning of the year, and then following up with a US tour right after. There wont be any headlining stuff for a while because were still trying to focus on getting the music out to new ears before the LP is finished.

Describe your dream tour.

Any tour with Cute Is What We Aim For, or opening up for Incubus and Bruce Springsteen.

You’re from Central Florida where there aren’t very many singer/songwriters similar to yourself. Did that make it easier or more difficult when starting out?

It actually made things much easier for me because there wasn’t any “competition” for the attention of people around here. I never really built a fan base where I live before we started touring though because in all honesty I don’t feel like Orlando is my home. I only live about 20 minutes away from the city, but where I grew up and made the music that got me to this point is a very small town that is completely separate from the greater Orlando area.

As a musician, what has been the one monumental goal that you’ve been working towards since the beginning?

My main goal is to have something to leave behind by the time I die. Making money and gaining popularity are all good and fine, but you can’t take that 6 feet under. I want to leave behind songs that people hopefully remember and can still enjoy long after I’m gone.

If five years ago someone had told you where you would be today, what would you have said?

Does that mean I get to tour with Mest?

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?

Stay true to yourself and your music.

Deja Entendu is is #3 on your top ten albums list on your website. What do you think of the new album?

There are some great songs on the new album, but I just haven’t been able to give it enough time to really get into it.

What albums are you looking forward to in 2007?

I heard Something Corporate might be making a new album, so Im psyched about that. I’m also pretty excited for The Starting Line, and of course the new Springsteen record which is going to include the E Street Band.

If you could only have one new year’s resolution, what would it be and why?

I want to stop biting my nails….

Waking Ashland Interview

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waking ashland

Who are we talking to, and what do you do in Waking Ashland?

This is Jonathan and I play the piano and sing in waking Ashland.

When is the new record coming out? and what stage are in right now?

The record is now done and we are waiting for it to be mastered this week. It should hit stores in April.

Is there an overall theme to the record? If so, what?

The record is based around the idea of change. The music is a step forward for us in the manner that everyone wrote for this record. I believe the quality of the songs is a reflection of that. Our style took a turn to.

Is there a name for the record yet?

We have been having a hard time coming up with a name

Why the move to Immortal records? Are you guys still on good terms with Tooth and Nail?

Immortal just seemed to be a better fit. There are fewer bands on immortal and they seemed to be more excited about our music. We are not on bad terms though with tooth and nail. We had fulfilled out contract with them before we chose to move on.

Who is recording the new record for you guys? Any specific reason for the choice?

Chris Shaw did our new record. We wanted to take a different approach than our last records and Chris was the guy. His previous works speak for itself. He added a lot of character to our sound.

Is Waking Ashland big in Japan? Is that why the telescopes EP came out in Japan first?

I think “big” is a relative term, but we have done well over there and touring there is always a good experience.

Why the split with the band members and adding new ones?

We lost two of our original members about a year and half ago due to the strains of the road and differences that we could not really work out. We have two new members now who are a full part of Waking Ashland. Tim Vary plays drums and Nathan Harold holds down the bass duties.

With the year coming to a close, what are you top 3 records?

Sufjan Stevens (Feel the Illinois), Tom Petty (any record), and the new Damien Rice record.

Any other bands or thing you’d like to promote and give a shout out to?

We love our boys in Sherwood and think theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re going to be huge this year.

Thanks to Jonathan for taking the time to do this interview with me

Heavy Heavy Low Low Interview – December 19th, 2006

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Ԛ Heavy Heavy Low Low

This interview was conducted in Richmond, Virginia on December 19th, 2006 in the band’s van. I want to thank Danny and Chris for sitting down and doing the interview and being really nice dudes, even if Danny offered me weed and beer a bunch of times. Check out Heavy Heavy Low Low when they come to your area, they put on a great show.

– State your name and position in the band.

Chris: Chris Fritter, play drums.

Danny: Danny Rankin, I play guitar.

– Give a brief history of the band and the origin of the name.

Chris: Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve been together for almost three years. We started as a four piece, with one guitar, one bass, one singer, one drum. We added a guitarist and singer. And then one of the singers left, and the guitarist left. Ryan and Robbie, which are our singer and guitarist now, joined. You think you can hear this?

Yeah, it picks up.

Chris: I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know man. We were watching As I Lay Dying and somebody came in and said â┚¬Ã…”This band is heavy heavy low low.â┚¬? We used the name, thought it sounded cool.

– How would you compare this tour with other tours youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve been on?

Chris: Uh, itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a lot different.

Danny: Hahaha.

Chris: I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know, weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re likeâ┚¬Ã‚¦. They are nice guys, everyone is really really nice, but they are a lot different then us, like what they are used to. Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re pretty young, a lot of the other bands are a lot older then us.

Danny: Next tour is going to be badass though.

Who are you guys going out with?

Danny: Fear Before and Thursday and Murder By Death.

– What makes your live show different than other bands?

Danny: I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know, when we play, we just give it our all. We give it all our energy and just have fun. We get into the music, I guess, and rock out.

A lot of bands just stand there and donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t get into it.

Danny: Yeah, when I watch a band like that, I canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t get into it as much if they arenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t getting into it.

Yeah, if itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s their music and they are not into it, then how can you get into it yourself.

Chris: I rather have a band be out of tuned and move around, then a shit time.

Danny: If you want crispiness, then you can listen to a CD if you want.

– What is the strangest thing that has happened at one of your shows?

Danny: Every night.

Chris: Every night is crazy.

Danny: Nothing really strange this tourâ┚¬Ã‚¦

Chris: Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve gotten arrested.

Danny: Yeah, we got arrested.

For what?

Chris: We were at a hotel with another band, Blackout Pact, just too many people. Our fill in bassist, at the time Patrick, fell asleep naked in the hallway.

Danny: We were all blacked out on Valium.

Chris: Yeah, we got arrested, basically in Indiana. It was on like ABC Worldwide News or something. Every night is crazy dude.

Any other stories?

Danny: Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m trying to think, I canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t even think right now.

Chris: So manyâ┚¬Ã‚¦.

Danny: Yeah, so manyâ┚¬Ã‚¦

Chris: Um, losing shit all the time, like keys.

Danny: Yeah, that is a good story, we lost keys.

Chris: In New York City, we lost keys at 3 in the morning.

Danny: Oh, and we got towed and shit.

Chris: No no, different time. Well, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll think of some shit and tell you.

– How has been the feedback off the new record and how do you feel about the results?

Chris: Really good. Kids donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t understand that like, itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s not the Heavy Heavy Low Low now. Like released, because a lot of the stuff is older. I think a new release will show our current stand, I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know. I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know, itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s just kind of like the past put into one CD. We are going to record in winter of â┚¬Ã‹Å“08, that is all I know for now.

– Well the next questions was if you guys have any plans to record new material.

Chris: Yeah, yeah. We are actually planning on re-releasing our â┚¬Ã…”Fuck itâ┚¬? EP in June. It will have two covers on there. Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re thinking Third Eye Blind â┚¬Ã…”Graduateâ┚¬? and Cardiganâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s â┚¬Ã…”Lovefoolâ┚¬?. And that is what we will have on that.

Danny: Yeah, that should be pretty soon.

Chris: Yeah, that will come out in June.

– What are some of the best and worst moments of 2006?

Chris: This is â┚¬Ã‹Å“06 right?

Yeah.

Chris: I didnâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t like â┚¬Ã‹Å“06 at all.

Danny: I had fun.

It was alright.

Chris: A lot of girl problems dude.

Danny: I saw a lot of tits in â┚¬Ã‹Å“06.

Chris: Yeah, we saw a lot of tits.

Thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s always good.

Danny: Yeah, it was awesome.

– What are some rumors youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve hard circulating about the band?

Danny: There is a whole bunch. Shitting on peopleâ┚¬Ã‚¦

Chris: I heard that we raped this girl, we shit on her, tied her down. Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve never really, shit on a girl.

Danny: If it came down to it, I might. But until I do, people shouldnâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t say that.

Chris: We got in trouble for stealing shit, which we have gotten blamed for. Venues blame us; we are just the young band that gets blamed. Like, our average age is 20.

Yeah, no matter what happens, people always blame the young people.

Danny: Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re always fucking drinking and smoking, just having fun, you know?

Yeah, and then everyone sees that and are like â┚¬Ã…”Well, they are stealing shit and everything.â┚¬?

Chris: For sure dude.

– What was one moment when you wished you were never in a band?

Danny: When we got arrested.

Chris: I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know, it sucks fighting, like arguing sucks. I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know. Girls will fucking screw you over.

Danny: You hate girls man.

Chris: Yeah, I hate girls right now dude. I mean, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll fuck some girls, hit them up. Thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s all Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m going to say.

– If you could have a guest appearance on the next record from anyone from any genre, who would it be and why?

Chris: Mark Hoppus from Blink 182.

Danny: Thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll be pretty rad.

Chris: Yeah, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve been thinking about that.

Haha, you had it all set up already.

Chris: Haha, yeah.

Danny: Does he sing or do bass?

Chris: He sings and bass.

Danny: Yeah, heâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s way better than the other one.

Anyone else?

Chris: Fuckingâ┚¬Ã‚¦

Danny: Cock and Ball Torture singer.

Chris: Dave will probably do some shit like before, probably do something on there.

Danny: Yeah, that will be awesome.

Chris: There is talk ofâ┚¬Ã‚¦.Robbie still wants the Fall of Troy singer, Thomas.

Yeah, I did an interview with Andrew.

Danny: Oh, the drummer?

Chris: Yeah, an amazing dude.

They were here earlier this year.

Chris: Shit, for straight dude.

Yeah, they are coming back here pretty soon.

Chris: Yeah, with their friends, Tera Melos. You have to go check those guys out.

Danny: No way, theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re touring with Tera Melos?

Chris: Yeah dude.

Danny: So awesome.

– If you found out that tonight was your last show, what would you do to make it memorable?

Chris: Just drink man and drink. I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know.

Danny: Spray cum on the crowd and kill myself.

Haha, that is one way to go.

Chris: I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know, I like to light shit on fire. We for sure break everything, like every single thing.

Danny: All the bandsâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ equipment.

Chris: Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve done it before. We gotâ┚¬Ã‚¦.ahh, that is such a good story man. We got kicked out of a venue in Arizona because we broke our equipment, we broke all our gear and snapped our drums in half. We were pretty, we were under the influence right. We werenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t being disrespectful to them, but we just brought our shit.

So, they kicked you out for breaking your own equipment?

Chris: Yeah, they threw all of our stuff outside. And these crews were going to beat us up or something.

– What is the biggest issue you see facing the music industry?

Chris: I think record labels are going downhill and all the indie labels are coming up. Majors are dead. I think, personally. And the indie bands are the ones that are keeping them alive, you know what I mean? Um, I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know what is next, but something is next, like in the genre.

Yeah, I was talking to someone about how there have been different eras, like a new band emerges with a new genre. I was trying to think about what is next, what is coming after all this stuff.

Chris: Yeah, I think personality is going to be the biggest part in the next big band. You know what I mean? Yeah, thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s that.

– If the band decided to pursue a rap career, what would be some of the name of the songs and what would they be about?

Chris: Yeah, we rap everyday.

Danny: We flow a lot.

Chris: Yeah, we flow a lot.

Danny: About dicks a bitches.

Chris: We actually do have rap crew. Danny?

Danny: Which one? Vagina Terror?

Chris: Yeah, tell him about all of them.

Danny: Um Vagina Terror. I have a song called â┚¬Ã…”Fat Bitchesâ┚¬?. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s about my love forâ┚¬Ã‚¦

Chris: Fat bitchesâ┚¬Ã‚¦

Danny:â┚¬Ã‚¦my love for having sex with fat bitches.

Chris: It tastes so good. Whatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s the link to the myspace?

Danny: Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s uhâ┚¬Ã‚¦.fuck, I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t even know anymore. We have a few rap crews, we actually have one coming out and when it does, itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll get huge and youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll remember it.

Chris: We like to flow man.

Yeah, a friend and I are starting a rap group and where we make fun of the typical rap song where it all repeats.

Danny: Haha, yeah.

We have a song called â┚¬Ã…”You donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know my dadâ┚¬?, we are going to record it and put it out there.

Chris: Haha, for sure dude.

– What are some things you want to get accomplished in 2007?

Chris: We have a lot of touring plans for 2007. We got that Thursday, Murder by Death, Fear Before tour. And then probably Warped Tour. There is talk about Poison the Well and HORSE the band. Norma Jean maybe, I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know. Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re just talking about that stuff. Just tour and keep posi dude.

Danny: Fuck yeah.

– Anything else you want the readers to know?

Chris: If you can write anything about smoking weed, I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know. We like to smoke weed. I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know if itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s your thing or not.

No, itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s cool.

Danny: Are you typing it out, is it going to be online?

Yeah, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll type this out and put it online.

Chris: Yeah, smoke weed. What else Danny?

Danny: Eat pussy, drink beer.

Chris: Be respectful.

Danny: Haha, respect women. Love your parents.

Chris: Happy Holidays man. Hell yeah.

MxPx Interview

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MxPx

Here’s a quick email interview with Mike Herrera, lead singer of MxPx.

What record label is MxPx on right now, and if you are on one will that be changing?

We are officially unsigned. Haven’t decided yet.

How was working with Aaron Sprinkle (for the 3 new songs on the Let it happen deluxe edition)? Will you guys be working with him again anytime soon?

It was great working with Aaron and thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s definitely a possibility we will be working with him again. We would love to. Recording with him was a great experience. He’s been a long time friend and we’re comfortable working with him. Another thing which makes recording easy is that we don’t have to labor over details with him. We get to focus on what we do, as does he, and it comes together perfectly which makes it a fun process.

I’m sure as long as MxPx is around you will get questions about your faith. What kind of effect does that have on you? Do you get tired of it or does it help strengthen your faith?

It does both. Each situation is different. It just depends where I am in my life when each question is asked. Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m not inconsistent with my answers, just honest with what I say. I don’t have a stock answer. I think about each question in depth each time it asked and give the most honest, up to date and best answer possible. And my faith is sometimes strong yet it is sometimes weak too. Sometimes I doubt what I believe in, other times I’ve never been so sure. I deal with each situation on a personal level, which definitely reflects in my song writing.

What’s the deal with Arthur? (The guyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s from MxPx side project), when is that album coming out?

It’s been a slow process, but we are still recording. Half of the record has been done for awhile, and we will have something ready and out in 2007.

Being the end of the year… what was a favorite album of 2006?

I love Bob Dylan’s new album, Modern Times.

What is in your CD player (iPod) right now?

Gasoline Heart’s “You Know Who You Are”

MxPx has been going for a long time, realistically what are your plans as a band in 2007?

Record a brand new record and tour a ton.

Matt Wertz Follow-up Interview – November 6, 2006

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Matt Wertz

Matt Wertz Interview #2
November 6, 2006 in Malibu, CA

First off, this interview follows up on some of the questions I got to ask Matt earlier this year and you can read those here. Second, I have to appologize it took me this long to post this interview, but here it is! Questions are in bold, Matt’s responses are in normal type.

First things first, who are you?

My name is Matt Wertz, I’m a pop star…an aspiring pop star from Nashville, TN.

Since I talked to you last June a lot has happened with you and your music. “Everything In Between” was released online- how has that been going?

It’s been I great! It’s kind of hard to know what to compare it to, and I think with anticipating the retail release that’s going to happen in early February I just don’t know what to expect. I’m definitely excited to see how the retail release looks cause I’ve never had that before.

How is your relationship with Nettwerk going? The idea you voiced for your own label being distributed through them, how has that been coming along?

That’s exactly what’s happening. They are totally creative and competent when it comes to marketing and getting the word out. I think I will be the first artist that they will be releasing from scratch without having a major label that once backed them. I think everyone is anxious to see how it works. My expectations are based on what I’ve been able to do independently and I know we will at least be able to meet or exceed those. I think having an online outlet for this record has been really helpful. It’s interesting to see how much of a presence the online distribution has taken over since I released 23 Places in 2003. This is a whole new deal.

Everything In Between. I have to first say it is one of my favorite records this year, but I’m curious, some of the songs are quite different from your past releases. Can you tell me what brought this new flare into your music?

I think I wanted to do a record that was very groove heavy that was centered on melody and groove kind of playing with each other. The first song that was written for the record was Like The Last Time and that song was like the bridge to some of the newer songs like The Way I Feel. There are songs that are more straight forward like Carolina that could’ve been on my last record. The beauty about this record is that it was recorded over a year and a half and the songs were written over a period of three years. You get a pretty wide variety of styles in the songs that I don’t know that you got as much on 23 Places. 23 Places varied more in the subject matter, this record follows a relational pattern.

The approach you took to recording the record- the fusion of two separate sessions, can you explain that?

We set out and started approaching the record like we did 23 Places. Ed, my producer, Dave Barnes and I would get together and demo songs. We would put down synthetic instruments and use computer sounds and I’d put down the acoustic parts. If any of us felt an electric part, we’d put that down. It was like we were making rough drafts of the songs. It allowed us to go crazy and put down whatever we heard. We went to the extreme of ideas. As we shared them, we realized we had to limit ourselves to a smaller pallet of sounds and instruments to define the sound of the record.

A lot of this demo-ing took place in the spring and in late July we booked a band for a week and we tracked with them. At that time I was shopping around to a few different labels and we got into this place that I was trying to please them before we were even working together. I felt like I was trying to please everybody. We ended up taking another stab at some of the other songs and by that time I had written some more. We went in as a live band and I brought in Justin Rosolino to play guitar and everything was happening at once. That jacked up the energy level, but from a hook standpoint we lost it, there wasn’t as much thought or planning going into the tracking sessions. We basically melted the two together. That’s kind of the best of both worlds, I really like the hooks and that’s what keeps people listening.

I saw you perform 5:19 on a news show in Boston, do you have any plans to release anything acoustically?

Well, this show tonight is just Justin and I. I always try to do a band tour and then an acoustic duo tour just to keep things fresh. A lot of times as an opener it isn’t feasible to bring a band out financially and logistically. It works great that I can do the songs acoustically and a lot of times people want to hear them like that. It’s a fun break from the norm and I enjoy both.

You’ve put out 3 full-lengths and an EP already, a feat most musicians never see, how do you feel about the music industry now that you’ve been fully exposed?

It’s weird, I feel like I’m always riding under the radar. Sometimes I’m bitter about that cause I’m working really hard but sometimes I’m really thankful. When a lot of my friends who sign to labels are getting dropped, I’m really thankful that I’m able to have a career without the help of a label. When I have friends who sign to a label and seven months later are playing for a thousand people, I realize it’s not possible to do that by yourself. You have to have a machine behind you. I really have been able to stay out of it and I’m not bitter or disillusioned by the industry because I haven’t gotten worked over yet.

I feel like I’ve seen exponential growth in your fan base since I was introduced to your music, what’s your secret?

I don’t know, I have no control over it. As much as it’s growing it could be falling apart and every day I wonder if today is my last day as a musician. Earlier in my career I could see the growth cause it started from nothing. Now I don’t get emails that I can trace how they heard about it and now I can’t. I don’t have any secret, I’m trying to write honest music that excites me. I have to play it every night and I’m just trusting that people will find truth in it and enjoy coming and hearing it.

Tell me about the mocha club.

The mocha club has been a really cool thing to be a part of. It’s really a selfish thing for me. I’m doing this because it makes me feel good that we’re able to do some good here. It is no self-sacrafice, it is totally a selfish move that I’m able to help. It’s better than be selling a hundred records a night. I would rather do something like this because it’s for helping someone other than me and it’s a bigger cause than myself. I have not gone to Uganda to see where the impact is being made but I keep getting reports from my friend Barret who has been working over and it’s been awesome. They wired over $10,000 to start building huts and it’s really going. I’m just trying to figure out when I can make it over.

I’ve been really blessed to be a part of it! I plan on going over there again, the people there are so real. I just feel like they have so much to teach us. We have so much to learn from them. What sucks is so many westerners have gone over there thinking that they’re going to do some good. I think we would be really wise to slow down and just learn from the way they live their lives. Granted, they need a lot of help, a lot of physical needs to be met. Their lives are so simple and their priorities are so right that it’s kind of hard to look at us and think we have much to offer.

Any last words
THANKS!

The Starting Line Interview – November 13, 2006

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The Starting Line

Reema Desai: Could you all introduce yourselves and state what you do in the band please?
Kenny Vasoli: Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m Kenny and I play bass and sing.
Matt Watts: Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m Matt and I play guitar
Mike Golla: Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m Mike and I play guitar too.

RD: How has the tour with the All American Rejects been going to far?
KV: Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s been going good. Some shows are goodâ┚¬Ã‚¦some shows are great.
MW: I think that all around, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m going to say 8.5 out of 10; Maybe 9 out of ten.
MG: We have a whole lot of down time but the shows are good.

RD: Do you guys prefer smaller clubs or the arenas that youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re playing on this tour?
MG: I prefer kids that like us. I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t think it really matter what venue.

RD: (laughs) Are you saying that there arenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t kids that like you on this tour?
MG: (laughs) no!
MW: the arenas are kind of overwhelming. Every show is really big and the kids are kind of young to the point of not being really familiar with who we are. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s cool cause weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re winning over a lot of kids, but the club shows that we normally play are just strictly for our fans so weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re used to seeing kids rocking out a little bit more and being able to interact with the kids. Both things have their plusses and minuses.

RD: So youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve made a lot of new fans on this tour?
MW: Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢d like to think so.

RD: You were on Drive Thru Records when they were huge and arguably at their peak. How has that affected your band today?
KV: Yeah, we definitely were on Drive-Thru at a good time. It was sort of like the Fat Wreck Chords of its time. When they were doing really well I was always looking at Drive Thru to see what bands were coming out and to be signed at that kind of time was really exciting. It did really good things for our band.

RD: How has the recording been going for the next album?
MW: we actually havenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t started recording yet. We go in the studio the first week of January but all the songs are pretty much done. Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re all really excited about it and weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re excited to make this record.

RD: Do you think that the songs are carrying a certain theme so far?
KV: No, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m trying to stay away from themes for this record, because when you start getting tied up in a theme and trying to make everything follow some sort of common tie then I think itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a little bit too difficult to write what youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re thinking about. So all the songs are completely disjointed; itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s just going to be a bunch of songs.

RD: When is the soonest anyone will hear the new songs?
MW: Thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a couple of floaters on youtube and we have demos but our managers being a nazi about letting them out. (laughs) So weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re gonna try to muscle some out of him but hopefully soon.

RD: How would you describe the transition the band has gone through from Say It Like You Mean It to Based On A True Story to now this upcoming record?
MG: I think its better and a lot more positive than the last record we did. We got out of Geffen and that was really a low point in The Starting Line as far as morale and being positive while writing the record. This time everybodyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s really excited and energetic. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s kind of like going into the studio for the first time all over again.
MW: Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s sort of been like a natural progression. I think as a band, weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re all just super excited to do this.

RD: How was the transition between labels?
KV: It was a great transition! Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s no real secret that we had our differences with Geffen. Our relationship with Virgin is something weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve never experienced before from labels. We really seem to be a high priority for them over there, which was definitely not the case at Geffen.

RD: Is there a certain band that has been particularly influential to you while writing the new songs?
KV: Personally, Radiohead has influenced me a lot. Its not gonna sound anything like Radiohead because you knowâ┚¬Ã‚¦

RD: That would be really different!
KV: (laughs) yeah! I just really like what they do with every record that they put out; the steps that they take towards maturing and all the different kinds of music that they put into their own music.

RD: Are there any musicians from this generation that you think will be remembered in the future?
MW: Thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a really good question. Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢d definitely say Coldplay. I think theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re the closest ones to itâ┚¬Ã‚¦or Radiohead. I think those two bands are the kind of bands that will stand the test of time. I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t want to say their marketing, but their music isnâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t built on a shtick or a certain selling point. People buy their records because theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re genuinely great records and they love the band. I think a lot of the bands that are popular, that sell a couple million records nowadays, I feel like two or three records down the line they wont be remembered because theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re big right now because of a certain cool trend.

RD: So its safe to say that you guys would prefer to get big the way that Radiohead did versus the way that a band like Panic! At The Disco did?
KV: Much rather.
MG: I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t want to be a fad.
KV: With bands like that (Coldplay and Radiohead), they were never trying to hop on something that was already going. Those bands took a kind of music that wasnâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t really commercially successful and just stuck with it and perfected their sound and perfected what they were trying to do so much that people couldnâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t help but listen. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a lot different from kids now looking for a carbon copy of another band. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a lot easier for a band to get successful that way than to try to pave their own path.

RD: What is one album that you would suggest as required listening for everyone?
KV: Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢d say Clarity because itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s such an under-heard record. A lot of people in our scene know about that record, but if you tally up all the people in the world that listen to music, not a lot of people have heard it.
MW: That recordâ┚¬Ã‚¦everybody can enjoy it no matter who you are, no matter what music you like.
KV: At least something on that record
MW: Yeah, itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s for everybody.

RD: What upcoming albums are you looking forward to hearing?
KV: Brand New (everyone agrees)

RD: They played here at UCF a couple of nights ago and it was amazing.
MW: Did they play all new stuff?

RD: It was like three or four older songs and the rest were new.
MW: How are the new songs?

RD: REALLY good.
MW: Yeah? Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m psyched.

RD: Has their been a specific moment in your bandâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s history that has stuck out for you?
MW: Getting signed to Drive-Thru was the coolest thing. I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know if weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll ever be able to top that in my book. It was such like a surreal moment. It was so huge to sign to a label with like New Found Glory, Fenix Tx, Midtown on it. To be apart of thatâ┚¬Ã‚¦ I just started freaking out. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s like someone being like â┚¬Ã…”Here, hereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s your dream. You have to work your ass off now but hereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a ticket to go do that.â┚¬? It was a big deal.

RD: What is your opinion on the current state of the music industry?
KV: Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s in shambles! (laughs)
MG: Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s hard to find honesty. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s like a diamond in the ruff.
KV: Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s tough because you know the music industry still spends so much money on a lot of shit that they really donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t have to or that ends up costing them more than it makes them. Especially since downloading is so big now, kids arenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t buying records nearly as much as they were but you know labels are still spending the same amount and kids arenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t buying nearly as much so it kind of causes turmoil, for major labels especially.
MG: Labels donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t really want to take a chance. If you are a unique band, to find a label that actually wants to support you is difficult cause labels kind of just look for the next carbon copy of whatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s big right now.
MW: I feel like labels will probably be obsolete in the next like ten years just because there is so much like home-recording equipment. Bands can essentially cut out the middle man and with something like iTunes, if its marketing the right way you can still be a successful band and put out your own records and you might as well do that. No oneâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s going to believe in your band as much as you.

RD: Do you support illegal downloads then?
KV: No, I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t support illegal downloads unless you canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t find the record like if you cant find it on iTunes because then how else are you going to get it?
MW: Or if the Brand New record happens to leak like a week before, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m totally listening to it but Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll buy it the day it comes out.

RD: It did leak!
MW: I know! I canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t find it though!

RD: So if you could do one thing to change the industry, what would it be?
MG: Fire a lot of people.
KV: I would un-sign a lot bands that have been signed to major labels. Theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re just too many bands that do the same thing and labels just sign them because they play that kind of music not because of how good they are or how long theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve been together or how many fans they have. I wish that that shit meant a little bit more.
MW: I feel like thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s none of those classic bands anymore. Thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s no like Led Zeppelin. Thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s no band thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s going to stick around for thirty years.
MG: Thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s like the Coldplay-Radiohead thing.
MW: Right, those are the only two bands. It seems like nowadays labels almost bank on a band being disposable within like three to five years. People sell their couple of million records and then they know theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll be done. I wishâ┚¬Ã‚¦
KV: I wish there were more career bands out there.
MW: Yeah, thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s not. But bands also used to be a lot more talented than they are nowadays.

RD: Do you think bands nowadays can even be revered the way those classic bands were?
MG: Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s definitely possible.
MW: Yeah, look at Nirvana; they changed the world. There has to be another Nirvana.
KV: Right, thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s always, at least in technology, a progression in music. Its been going on since music started so something big is bound to happen with music again.
MG: People are gonna get sick of seeing all that stuff. Whatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s the next genre going to be?
KV: It kind of feels like weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re in the eighties again right now as far as music goes.
MG: We need a big grunge take over. Not grunge but something like that.

RD: What do you think that next big thing will be?
KV: I always pictured music turning more experimental and a little bit more electronic. Not like eighties dance electronic, but actually like intelligent electronic kind of music. It seems like itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s just kind of likeâ┚¬Ã‚¦
MG: Watered down pop right now
KV: It seems like its still Hawthorne Heights bands right now. I really donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know what musicâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s gonna have for us next. Every time I say â┚¬Ã…”Thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s going to be a total failure!â┚¬? its like number three on TRL! (laughs)

RD: Where do you see the band heading in the next five to ten years?
KV: Doing what weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re doing right now. Probably on this bus someplace.
MW: Hopefully trying to carve our own path.
MG: Hopefully not has-beens!

RD: Do you ever get tired of playing Best Of Me and will it ever be retired?
MW: you know what? Kenny can answer that question!
KV: I always get tired of playing it and I donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t think weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll ever retire it!
MW: I still like the song and I enjoy playing it.
KV: Yeah? How much do you listen to it?
MW: I listen to it every night when we play it!
MW: I think itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a good songâ┚¬Ã‚¦ I think itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a catchy song.
KV: Thank you.

RD: Matt, is it difficult managing bands while touring?
MG: No. Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re on a bus with wireless Internet and thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s so much downtime throughout the day that I can kind of do what I need to do and still have timeâ┚¬Ã‚¦
MG: and still have time to play football.
MG: Yeah, I still have time to play football and lead a normal life so it works out perfect. Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢d probably be really bored if I didnâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t do it.

RD: Ok, any final comments?
KV: Thanks for listening, if you listen to it or heard it before.
MW: Thanks for reading it, if you read it!
KV: Yeah, thanks for reading. Thanks for looking.

RD: Thank you!
MW: Yeah, of course!

Sparta Interview – November 14th, 2006

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Sparta
Here is a quick little interview with Sparta where we ask them about their new album and more.

Can we get your name what it is you do in Sparta?

Jim Ward, sing and guitar/ keys

You took some time to record your new album, can you tell us a little bit about your writing / recording process and how it helped or didn’t help not having a label for a while?

We had deadlines without a label in the beginning, it was important that we had time to work out our troubles and put them into the music, we spent a lot of time hanging out and playing variations of songs, it was great.

“Threes” is the title of your new album, what do you feel is different between this album and your last, and what’s the story behind the albums title?

Three is my intersection, when I have to choose left or right, life just happens in threes for me, this album has much more depth than previous work

You guys have been doing a series of video Podcasts that followed your recording and life on the road, is this something you guys had planned from the beginning of starting this album?

We sort of fell into doing that, matt handles it, I think it has been a great avenue to create

Along the lines of technology, how do you find computers helpful in the writing and recording area?

Totally, we use them all the time for everything

How do you see things like Podcasts and MySpace now, and how do you think they will change the way bands promote / connect to fans in the future?

Obviously it has changed everything, I think it will evolve forever, it is a brave new world

Do you guys enjoy being out on the road touring, or do you like the down time of recording?

Both, you get burned out on one and it is time to do the other, it works out

What would you recommend our readers to check out as far as a book, music, and a movie? Something you have been into lately.

My Morning Jacket live dvd
If you could have 5 extra minuets in a day to do anything you wanted to do, what would you use that time for?

Sleep

Thanks for your time, is there anything else you would like our readers to know?

We appreciate the support!

Limbeck Interview – November 14th, 2006

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limbeck

This was a short, fun interview with Patrick from the band Limbeck. There’s some stuff about the new record that will be coming out next year, I can’t wait.

1) First, who’s answering this… and what do you contribute to Limbeck?

This is Patrick. I play guitar and sing in the limbeck band. I also drive the van sometimes… and on our new record I play a good amount of keys, and a whistle.

2) I know you guys tour a lot, is there any places you like to stop, anything you make sure and do while youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re out touring?

There might be too many places we really like to stop. Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll start with Tucson, Arizona. Thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a hotel there called Hotel Congress which is where the gangster John Dillinger was captured. It also has a club we love to play, also two great bars, and an amazing restaurant. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s the epitome of the southwest. We dig it.

Oklahoma Joeâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s bbq in Kansas City, it’s the best bbq in the whole country, and it’s in a gas stationâ┚¬Ã‚¦ go figure.

As far as gas stations go… we love Quik Trips. Theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re not everywhere, but they have the best selection of drinks and snacks ever. They have great milkshakes for 2 bucks… crushed ice… diet dr. pepper… and they have those kettle cooked Cape Cod chips. Did I mention their sodas are 59 cents?

We like cheesy tourist stops, too. We don’t do them all the time, but stuff likeâ┚¬Ã‚¦

*Billy the kid’s grave site…

*The thing…

*Deepest hand-dug well in America… we dig that kind of stuff when we have the time. (no pun intended)

Oh, and we’re suckers for Mexican food. EVERYWHERE.

3) Whatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s the new record going to be like? Musically and lyrically

I think it’s us spreading out a bit musically and lyrically. There are a few songs about places and people, but then there’s a song or two about dreams, a song about California’s weather. Musically, we had more time than we’ve ever had in the past, so we messed around with a few other fun instruments, and a lot of vocal stuff. Our last record was definitely pretty basic, but we got to explore different areas with this record. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s the same, but different too.

4) Going along with question 3, is there any specific theme to the new record?

Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re going to call it “the bear”. We have a new drummer with us, Jon Phillip. Heâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s from Milwaukee, and he’s a super great dude. After we got Jon, we’ve always wanted to call our band the Bears, because we kind of turned over a new leaf. The theme of this record is, turning over a new leaf. Does that make sense?

5) What is spinning in the CD player right? (or iPod)

Beach boys “friends”, ELO “out of the blue”, the new Ben Kweller, Fleetwood Mac “rumors”.

6) Also any up and coming bands you are liking?

I know they’re not up and coming, but we dig The Format. Also another Arizona band called Reuben’s Accomplice.

7) Random I know, but what does the song “Brand new orange” mean or refer to?

At the time Robb wrote the song, he was living in the city of Orange, in southern California. He was also working as a waiter. The song was about how working in the city was killing his thoughts about how much he loved the place.

Thereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a picture he took of the downtown which I think is in the artwork, on the postcard for the song. “Brand new orange” is the city of Orange that’s on the postcard, and where Robb would rather live.

8) Any last words, websites or things you’d like to promote?

We’re taking a few months off to get sorted out, and get a new player or two to go out on tour with us next year but when next year rolls around, we’re gonna be real busy.

Websites Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢d like to promote would www.limbeck.net (that’s our website and it’s got some good stuff on it, as well as good links to good places.)

And www.petfinder.com because dogs and cats out there need nice homes.

See you around.

Check them out on Purevolume also